First Impressions
by ALannister
Summary: An OS about Bran's first thoughts when he sees his idol Ser Jaime, when the latter comes to Winterfell.


Throwing the covers from her Arya woke up, turning angrily in her bed towards Sansa & Jeyne who sat giggling on Sansa's bed.

"Can't you two just shut up & go to sleep."

"No!" Both the girls answered in unison & began giggling again which incensed her further. This was the third time this night that her sleep had been disturbed by their constant whispers & giggles. Wasn't it enough that she had to tolerate Jeyne during the day? Why had mother allowed her to stay with them the whole night? Mother never granted her permission for even the simplest things & yet she had allowed Jeyne to stay in their room on Sansa's request. Throwing her covers aside Arya got up in a huff. She closed the door to their room as the girls broke into yet another fit of giggles.

Winterfell was silent as a tomb as Arya ventured out of her room. Should she go to mother & tell her about Sansa & Jeyne? No the girls would tease her mercilessly for being such a baby. She was a grown up girl now. And what use would it be anyways? Maybe father would understand? _No!_

As Arya continued down the passage from her room she saw the candles still burning in Bran's room. The door to his room was slightly ajar. She peeked in & found him sitting up in bed gesturing wildly with his hands. He started as she stepped in.

"What are you doing here at this time of the night?"

"I am a big girl. I can do as I like. But what were you doing right now?"

Arya saw Bran colour slightly in the fading light of the candles.

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

Arya smirked.

"Fighting some imaginary battle, were you, _Ser_ Bran?"

This time Bran rewarded her with a full smile.

"What are you doing here Arya? Why aren't you sleeping?"

"The handsome prince of the seven kingdoms has captured the imagination of our stupid sister & her stupid friend & they are determined to study & deeply analyze his each & every feature before the first light of dawn."

"Ugh! He is such a show – off! What do they like about him?"

Arya jumped in bed next to Bran, glad to see that someone else agreed with her views on the crown prince. She had hated him at first sight.

"I hated him & his mother. King Robert is also not exactly how I imagined him to be. He isn't as handsome as people think. The only man I looked forward to meeting was the Imp, who unfortunately never showed up. In fact the entire royal party was a disappointment."

"Not all of them were a disappointment."

"What do you mean?"

"Ser Jaime."

"_The Kingslayer?_" Arya asked in surprise.

"Don't call him that. He is much more than that! He is the finest swordsman in the whole of Westeroes. At the age of thirteen he won his first tourney while he was still a squire & was just fifteen when he joined the Kingsguard. He was knighted by none other than Ser Arthur Dayne himself. Ever since I heard that King Robert was coming to Winterfell I looked forward to the moment when I would see Ser Jaime Lannister. Do you think I will get to see him swing a sword while he is here?"

Arya laughed at her brother's enthusiasm.

"He is a Knight & a member of the Kingsguard Bran, not some little lad wanting to impress the Lords & Ladies of the North."

Bran slid down into bed drawing the covers up to his chin & sighed.

"Yes, he is a knight & the finest amongst them all. When father takes us to King's Landing do you think he will allow me to squire for Ser Jaime? And more importantly, do you think Ser Jaime will accept me as his squire?"

Arya laughed as Bran stared at her with hopeful eyes. The boy had clearly put Ser Jaime on a pedestal. Getting up from his bed she gave his nose a sharp pull.

"Father has yet to decide if he will take up King Robert's offer to be his Hand. If he accepts, only then will we be going to King's Landing."

Watching Bran's crestfallen face, Arya added, "But you might still get to squire for Ser Jaime if you can get father to agree, Bran. But King's Landing is far, far away."

Bran sighed as Arya closed the door behind her. King's Landing wasn't so far away as Arya thought. Ser Jaime was here. All he needed was to get father to agree & then he could leave with the royal party when they left. He was good with a sword. Ser Rodrick often said that he was a quick learner. There was no reason why Ser Jaime wouldn't want a squire like him. He would go. And he would become the youngest squire in the history of Westeroes. And then Ser Jaime would knight him one day. Nothing could stop him. Arya was wrong. King's Landing wasn't so far away & neither was his dream of being a knight.

Arya noted with some relief that Sansa & Jeyne had fallen asleep. As she slid into her bed quietly, her thoughts wandered to her earlier conversation with Jon. _This is what a King should look like_, Jon had said to her.

Arya closed her eyes & she was transported back to when a knight dressed all in white had galloped in on his horse before the King & the Queen entered Winterfell. She had studied the lion crest on his armour which had glinted in the sunlight. As he had taken off his helm his hair which shone like spun gold had fallen on his forehead. Arya smiled. Ser Jaime wasn't just brave, he was handsome too. Very handsome!

Arya was horrified at the direction her thoughts had taken. If mother or Sansa knew they would be scandalized & the Septa would make her pray to all the Gods, old & new forever. Seven hells! The man was almost her father's age. Arya smirked. But he was handsome, much better than the fat, drunk King or his insipid son. Now, if Sansa had liked the uncle instead of the nephew she might have joined the girls in their mid night conversations, surprising them & herself too. Smiling at her own stupid thoughts she closed her eyes.

Arya's sleep that night was full of a brave knight in a lion crest, a horrified Lady Stark, a disgusted Sansa, & an approving & smiling Bran.


End file.
